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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25449892">Where It All Started</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shingansoul/pseuds/Shingansoul'>Shingansoul</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>One Piece</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Age Regression/De-Aging, First multi chapter, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Minor Character Death, Minor Swearing, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Will add more character tags as needed, literally de-aging though</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-07-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-07-22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 08:53:46</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>5,316</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25449892</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Shingansoul/pseuds/Shingansoul</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>When Shachi heard the clatter of wood hitting metal and a short cry of pain, he was quick to make for the source; his captain’s quarters.<br/>‘Did he throw himself out of bed?’ Shachi thought idly as he briskly jogged down the Tang’s hallways to Law’s quarters, though nothing he could’ve thought would have been close enough to the truth before him when he opened the door.</p><p>Trafalgar Law gets turned back into a child with only the memories up to that point to match. Going from the day after Minion Island to suddenly waking up within weeks after Wano in a ship he doesn't remember with a crew he doesn't know, how will the Heart Pirates deal with this? And how much will be revealed about their secretive captain along the way?</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>15</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>64</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. The Little Things</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u"> Chapter 1: The Little Things </span>
</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>The evening watch shifts on the Polar Tang were always miserable when done on your own, the absence of people moving around and the echoing and creaking that accompanies any sound you yourself made was unnerving at times. Most night shifts were done in pairs unless a punishment was being carried out or there had been a fight that day leaving fewer uninvolved and not too tired to carry out watch. </p><p> </p><p>Those “lucky” enough to be on watch for either reason often were welcomed to a mostly quiet night aside the Tangs creaking and settling as it moved. Normally Shachi would bemoan the atmosphere in question, it was too boring for the energetic man and without someone to chat with he’d have to pick up wondering ‘round the ship to keep awake for the whole night. Passing rooms he’d here occasional light chatter in the early hours and then mostly just the sounds of breathing, snoring, and slight movements of sleep from most of the crew. </p><p> </p><p>Even in Law’s quarters when he pulled his far too common all nighters there’d still only be light footsteps, the moving of books and pages being turned, or the scratching of pen against paper as he worked on one thing or another.</p><p> </p><p>Not to say it was always quiet and easy going on the Tang at night of course, nightmares and terrors were not uncommon by any means on the ship, with a crew made up of mostly those who’d lived hard lives as outcasts or those with nowhere else to turn to, the types of lives lead to result in the men and woman amongst the Heart pirates weren’t all nice and pretty. None to mention Jean Bart and especially their captain, men so rife with struggle and trauma yet neither willing to dare speak a word of it; one long since come to terms with himself and his life choices while the other chooses to steep in self loathing and ghosts of the past only he is acquainted with.</p><p> </p><p>As such, those awake, particularly those on said night watches, were quick to hear anything out of the ordinary and just as quick to respond, whether it be to bring along a crewmate on a now sleepless night to distract or comfort or to offer a more specialized comfort for whomever needs it.</p><p> </p><p>So this night as Shachi made his rounds for about the third or fourth time that evening, when he heard the clatter of wood hitting metal and a short cry of pain, he was quick to make for the source; his captain’s quarters.</p><p> </p><p>‘Did he throw himself out of bed?’ Shachi thought idly as he briskly jogged down the Tang’s hallways to Law’s quarters, though nothing he could’ve thought would have been close enough to the truth before him when he opened the door.</p><p> </p><p>Law’s room was separated from the few rooms shared amongst the rest of the crew but that didn't mean it was meant as nor the size of most captain's quarters on traditional ships. As the Tang was organized to prioritize the rooms of the library and most especially the operating theatres and rooms holding medical equipment and supplies, his room was roughly the same size if not slightly smaller than one of the shared rooms. In it, to the door’s right was a set of tall bookcases lining the wall, to the left corner was a simple bed pushed against the walls in the corner and against the left side wall was a desk, a glass case filled with an array of random keepsakes, books, and medical tools and all about the walls, across the desk and now on the floor accompanying the fallen item having made the noise earlier, the wooden desk chair, were various paper and maps of all sorts. </p><p> </p><p>At first, Shachi had to squint in disbelief, scanning the room twice over in befuddlement. The room was devoid of one thing, Law himself. Though that’s not an impossibility to say Law simply used his abilities to transport himself elsewhere in the ship, Shachi was sure he’d have heard some sort of confirmation that it was so whether it be the sound of footsteps elsewhere in the ships innards echoing through the metal halls or simply the sounds of movement or speech to oneself from the captain. The Tang was submerged so there was nowhere else Law could be but inside the ship and inside this room.</p><p> </p><p>“O-oi! Captain? You in here?” Shachi called awkwardly, not loud enough to wake anyone in another room, but enough to certainly call attention. He was met with only the ships hum and creaking. He sighed, shaking his head a bit, miffed at the situation, before stepping into the room proper. Moving further in gave him view to who he was looking for, though it certainly wasn't how he planned to find him.</p><p> </p><p>In the small space between the desk and the bedside, a definitely familiar though unexpected by a longshot face scowled bitterly up at him. Law, now visibly about how he looked when Shachi had first met him on that fateful day back at Swallow island, sat with his knees drawn up to his chest and a palm against the back of his head while he quietly held his glare, no sign of backing down as if eye contact were a challenge of wills. </p><p> </p><p>Shachi laughed nervously, stepping back to quietly shut the door behind him before turning back to stare at the man, or rather now, the child  he had come to check on to begin with. He sighed, scratching at the back of his head to tug on his hair nervously in thought as he took stock of the situation.</p><p> </p><p>“How do we always manage to get wrapped up in weird situations like this?”</p><p> </p><p>He wasn’t asking anyone in particular, though in response, Law’s glare softened just a bit at seeing the confusion of the moment was mutual. The older man didn’t step closer to the boy, simply squatted down to his eye level from where he was 2 yards across the room before calling out again, softer now that he knew the other was with him in the room.</p><p> </p><p>“Neh, Law,” at his casual address, the boy’s glare returned in full force. Shachi sighed, disheartened but determined to press on best he could. </p><p> </p><p>“Law, do you….know who I am? Or where you are?” His voice carried a hopeful tone, which once more soothed the boy slightly it seemed.</p><p> </p><p>“I…no. If you’re trying to use me for leverage or something, you made a real big mistake y’know.” He didn’t sound pompous exactly about his threat, simply tiredly speaking as if it was common knowledge. “Once Cora-san finds out you took me, if he doesn’t come himself, Doffy will and if he comes he’ll kill you for taking his things.”</p><p> </p><p>The boy’s words put a bitter taste in Shachi’s mouth, considering the implications of those words. Doffy..to call him Doffy was fairly casual, and given Law’s vendetta, hell, the whole reason he made a crew beyond the initial joining by force of the boys and bear from Swallow island, it wasn’t something that felt right coming from the boy. Law had never in full told them his relations with the now ex-warlord, simply that he had killed someone important to Law and that he wanted Law dead or alive because of his ope-ope no mi having been Doflamingo’s property. And all that was not even touching upon the comment of Law considering himself a "thing" owned by the man.</p><p> </p><p>Law had been opening up in the time since meeting back with the hearts on Zou, he had come back with scars new and old but he had seemed lighter, a bit purposeless sure, but freer. He had opened up in varying degrees about his past; his sister, Flevance, and though they knew the name 'Cora-san' they had little context to place him nor of really any of the time between fleeing Flevance and the initial meeting and fight on Swallow Island. </p><p> </p><p>In all the hustle and focus for Wano, plus the strawhats having been aboard with their ninja allies in tow, there just wasn’t enough time for the crew to meet with their captain uninterrupted and with the privacy of only their nakama to talk about his life to that point yet. Figures with their luck that Law had to be turned into a child and <em> of course </em> it was in that blank period of their captains life.</p><p> </p><p>“I don’t think….I don’t believe they’ll be a problem,” Shachi pieced together slowly before quickly tacking on, “we didn’t kidnap you or anything, you’re perfectly safe and here of your own volition!” ‘Well...sort of’, though that thought didn’t pass the redheads lips.</p><p><br/>
<br/>
</p><p>Law merely quirked an eyebrow in response, absolutely unimpressed. ‘Still the same cocky little shit as always, aren't cha?’ Shachi chuckled awkwardly, holding up a finger to signify a need for pause before running a hand down his face and sighing heavily. He took a moment before turning his attention back to Law.</p><p> </p><p>“Look, i’m gonna explain the situation to ya and it’s going to sound like a lie, a really bad one, but it’s the truth I swear it.” </p><p> </p><p>The young boy took a moment to sigh heavily out his nose before tilting his head a bit to rest against the desk to his side before responding, seemingly getting more comfortable. “I don’t have much of a choice now do I?” His tone was bored and curt, but it was good enough for Shachi to feel comfortable to go forward.</p><p> </p><p>“So….where do i start...uh, well. You’re not usually this age I guess is a good start.” Law’s eyes visibly widened slightly before he quickly returned his features to a scowl, but he didn't interrupt. </p><p> </p><p>“You’re supposed to be 27 years old, and you’re my captain. Trafalgar D. Water Law, captain of the heart pirates, though the world government calls you the ‘Surgeon of Death.’” He paused, assessing the risk of saying the next thing that came to mind. “The reason Doflamingo isn’t coming for you is because..uh, well, you’re the one who defeated him, he’s in Impel Down right now. That was about 2 or 3 months ago.”</p><p> </p><p>The boy stared hard at the man before him, quick to shoot back with an odd sort of venom Shachi couldn’t quite place.</p><p> </p><p>“That’s impossible! I’m not going to live that long! There’s no way even if some stupid magic fruit or something turned me back, I couldn’t have! All the hospitals couldn’t help and Doffy didn’t find a fruit for me either! And why would I go against Doffy? He’s the one who….”</p><p> </p><p>The boy stopped cold, a thought striking him for the worst.</p><p> </p><p>“Wh-where’s Cora-san?”</p><p> </p><p>“Well, to be honest Capt’n,...i'm not sure. You never really...told us who he was yet. Until recently, you never really told us anything honestly. As for you, uhh, “making it”, you removed the poison from your body yourself you said. You have a devil fruit, or at least..you did after I met you.”</p><p> </p><p>Law swallowed, his gaze falling to the floor as he tried to piece together what he was hearing with what he knew. For all he knew, this random guy in this place he didn't know was blowing smoke up his ass just to distract him or gain his trust. But considering what he remembered last and the fact he wasn't currently splotched with white across his already somewhat pale skin, he was inclined to try and at least attempt to apply what he was being told to the idea of it being true. </p><p> </p><p>“When...when did we meet? Hold old was I?” </p><p> </p><p>“I’d say 12 or 13? We met on Swallow Island, that’s where i’m from as well as a couple of your other crew members.”</p><p> </p><p>‘Swallow Island...that’s next to the island Doffy was supposed to be buying the Ope Ope no Mi wasn’t it?’ Law silently appreciated the pause he was being given to ask and connect as he needed. The age he was told made sense, and he supposed the area did too if he had eaten the fruit Doffy was buying, but why would he eat it himself? Wasn’t Doffy wanting Cora-san to eat it since he didn't know Cora had eaten the Nagi Nagi no Mi already?</p><p> </p><p>Though that only raised the concern of what happened to Cora-san even further. Considering everything he’d been told was true, this guy would have met him not long after where his memories stopped and last he remembered he was with Cora-san and they were….wait, things were coming back to him a bit.</p><p> </p><p>Without his notice it seemed, Law started slowly articulating his thoughts aloud as he put one thing together with the next.</p><p> </p><p>“Cora-san...was going to go steal the fruit himself, he was the one who wanted me to eat the fruit. But….the Amber Lead had spread too far by then for me to have….”</p><p> </p><p>Shachi felt dread creep into his stomach as he too started to connect dots while the child spoke before him. </p><p> </p><p>“H-hey, Law who….who was this Cora-san guy exactly?” Shachi braved, his words hesitant, he wasn't liking where things were going but the faster they both figured out things and he gained Law’s trust enough to involve the rest of the crew, the faster they could start working on a solution.</p><p> </p><p>Law swallowed hard, moving to interlace his fingers of his now slightly shaking fingers. </p><p> </p><p>“Cora-san is Doffy’s little brother,” Law breathed out.</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “I’m his brother! He won’t kill me, I promise. Don’t you worry, I have a plan and then we’ll get you better and sail the world together Law!” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>The memory was small, but it served to open the floodgate for everything else that had happened on that dreadful island. Yes, it was all coming back to him: Vergo, the birdcage, being put in the chest….the gunshots…</p><p> </p><p>Shachi watched in concern and worry from his place across the floor, seeing his now kid captain start shaking in earnest with his face white as a sheet. It seems the conclusion Shachi had come to was the same that Law had come to remember.</p><p> </p><p>“Doffy…..Doflamingo he killed Cora-san...didn’t he?”</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> “Neh, Law! Aishiteru-ze!~” </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Law felt sick, he wanted to deny it all and simply be angry and hateful like he always had, to push it down like everything else and simply take it out on the world around him. But his body would only continue to tremble and twitch under the strain of holding it in before he could no longer hold himself back. Law sat there, in his small and now far too reminiscent corner, and wept. </p><p>As tears poured down his face, snot dribbled down his lip and as sobs wracked his thin small frame, he felt warm arms wrap around his small frame. Their owner held him tightly but gently, so warm and he heard a rush of reassurances in his ear in some unknown dialect of northern. He didn’t know what the man now wrapped around him was saying exactly, but it was too kind and warm in tone after all he had been through and remembered now. It was all the encouragement he needed, he buried his face in the man’s shoulder and let himself sob in earnest.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Introductions</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span class="u"> Chapter 2: Introductions </span>
</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>“So…a submarine?”</p><p> </p><p>The boys had moved back into the control room of the Polar Tang after some time when Law had calmed back down some. Shachi did have a job to do even under weird circumstances, and he wasn’t quite ready or sure precisely how to introduce and explain everything to the others yet. So until morning came proper, Shachi had taken to bringing Law with him through his routine.</p><p> </p><p>“We had to be really careful and stealthy for a long while, Capt’n. We spent a long time in North Blue so-”</p><p> </p><p>He was cut off, “So we had to work under the radar to avoid him coming after us because of me.”</p><p> </p><p>Shachi shrugged, easing farther back into one of the chairs before the control panel of the Tang, Law sat in the seat to his left. “More or less.”</p><p> </p><p>Law hummed softly in acknowledgement of the confirmation, sitting with one of his knees pulled to his chin as a head and armrest while he stared at the lights coming from the scopes and control panel before him. He was trying to take in all he could to build a timeline for himself, he had recalled a bit earlier in the conversation he had had with Shachi in his quarters, but that didn’t mean he suddenly remembered the 13-14 years after all that he hadn’t grown into yet as far as he knew. </p><p> </p><p>“...Shachi, right?” Law ventured. The man in question made a soft “hm?” in response to show he was listening, one couldn't tell otherwise if he was looking at you or paying attention given he was wearing those sunglasses even in the evening.</p><p> </p><p>“When….when I fought Doff-...Doflamingo, were you there?”</p><p> </p><p>Shachi sighed, tilting his head to look up to the ceiling as he spoke, “No...no, you sent all of us to a different island so we wouldn’t get dragged into the fight. When we left, we didn’t really know you were planning to fight him yourself though,” he was lying a bit as the trio from Swallow Island knew damn well what Law would try to do more or less, he just didn't want to complicate things even more for the kid. </p><p>“You fought him with some allies you picked up, they’re a uh….well, they’re certainly known for bringing down figures of power at the government's expense. They make a hell of a lot of noise around the world, though they’re also the biggest suckers for people they befriend. You...well, we all did I guess, fell into the category and their captain ended up fighting side by side with you against the guy himself.”</p><p> </p><p>“Allies?” Law asked in vague disbelief, his voice was quiet but his tone spoke loudly. He didn’t believe anyone would want to be allies with him, none alone befriend him. He was still unsure how he had garnered a crew at all, and though he had already asked something on that note Shachi had told him to wait until he met the others in the morning. He said he’d rather let them speak for themselves instead of for them, or something to that nature.</p><p> </p><p>Law glanced at the clock amongst the controls and sonars:</p><p> </p><p><em> 7:48am </em>it read.</p><p> </p><p>“It’s been 2 hours since you brought me here, Has it been enough time to meet the others you think?”</p><p> </p><p>Shachi barked a laugh, “What? You anxious to go play meet and greet?”</p><p> </p><p>Law shook his head quickly, his reply sharp and indignant. “No! I just want to figure all of this crap as soon as I can! The faster we do, the faster I go back to normal, right!?” In truth, that was only a bit of the truth, what he really wanted to know  was the types of people who would call him captain. Shachi seemed certainly kind and caring enough, far more than he’d expect or deserve a crewmember to be. Though maybe it was simply due to how long they supposedly knew each other, or maybe just because he was a kid again now. Who knew.</p><p> </p><p>“Yeah, yeah, that’s the dream I guess.” Shachi vaguely agreed, standing with a stretch upwards that caused an accompaniment of pops up his lower back with the movement. He looked to Law, so small his feet didn't come anywhere close to touching the ground from the seat.</p><p> </p><p>“Mind if I..” he gestured to the chair and then performed a far too dramatic motion with his arms mimicking picking up something and resting it against his side. Far too obvious to take more than a moment to process, Law gave another almost shrill denial as he hopped down out of the chair to the floor.</p><p> </p><p>“I’m NOT a little kid! I’m 13 damnit, dont fucking treat me like a toddler.” The boy crossed his arms across his chest as if to accentuate how serious he was which only served to elicit a grin from the older pirate. The scowl that quickly came sent Shachi over the edge and into a cackling fit. When he was younger and he’d first met Law, that scowl and those harsh words proved to genuinely scare him at times before he realized how much was just bluster as his captain grew close to him. Seeing it now compared to what he was used to in years of late was just downright hilarious and honestly a bit cute, though the thought of calling his captain that only served to fuel his fit.</p><p> </p><p>Law was incredibly unamused in contrast, standing with his back against the doorway leading out into the main hallway and leveling his maintained glare Shachi’s way.</p><p> </p><p>With mirthful tears pricking his eyes, he fixed his gaze back to Law when he had calmed down enough to speak a bit. “For a teenager you’re pretty damn small to me, Capt’n, you look maybe 8 or 9, you sure you didn’t go back farther than you thought?”</p><p> </p><p>Law’s baleful glare turned genuine in its bitterness, he spoke as he turned to walk out the doorway uncaring of the fact he only knew the way to one other room.</p><p> </p><p>“When you grow up with Amber Lead Poisoning left untreated and eating away at your body your whole life, it’ll stunt your growth and general development. You’d be short too, asshole.” </p><p> </p><p>With that he meandered down the hall, huffing and calling back a, “hurry up before I end up lost in my own damn submarine!”</p><p> </p><p>Shachi grimaced, quick to follow. ‘Nice going idiot, so much for all that tact you had earlier.’</p><p> </p><hr/><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>Shachi had made to go wake up the others and gather them in the galley while Law was to wait in the library just down the hall. With the captain left to his own devices in waiting, Shachi was quick to rouse and gather everyone else. With a few complaints and swears, as well as a pillow or two, everyone made their way into the galley and connected kitchen. </p><p> </p><p>Everyone got seated, some grabbing a cup of tea or coffee while Clione started working on some light breakfast for the crew where he could still hear whatever was “so important” according to the redhead.</p><p> </p><p>Penguin leveled his gaze at Shachi once he had sat down, quick to pick up on the mood and on the others’ wavelength.</p><p> </p><p>“Is it something to do with Law?” The rest of the crew perked up in their own ways at the question, silently asking the same as they looked to their first mates' exchange. Bepo gasped loudly, about to stand again with a cry of “What’s wrong with the captain!?”</p><p> </p><p>Shachi made a calming motion with a wave of his hand.</p><p> </p><p>“Hold on and i’ll go get him, he’s technically fine, he’s not hurt or anything just….well, it's a bit of a ...little problem.” </p><p> </p><p>“Oh I’d say it’s a bit of a big problem if you keep at it, Shachi.” </p><p> </p><p>The threat wasn’t as playful as the crew was used to, nor the voice familiar to most of them given its much higher pitch with his age, though seeing him peek into the doorway himself certainly took the others by surprise.</p><p> </p><p>18 pairs of eyes all fell onto the small boy behind Shachi, unnerving the kid though he wasn’t going to let it show so Law plastered a smug grin on his face as he waited for one of his apparent crew members to engage the situation further. He took the moment to glance them all over, taking in a first look at his crew.</p><p> </p><p>A giant of a man calmly if not slightly surprised returned his gaze, despite his looks he wasn’t precisely intimidating to Law, 'strange',  he thought to himself as he continued over. Most the rest weren’t particularly stand out aside from notice of the uniform they all took to with only slight at most variations with head and face wear and some all fully zipped in and others with it half pulled down to their waists.</p><p> </p><p>His attention hovered on the very literally brightly lit target of the crew, in more ways than one. The polar bear mink had very quickly made himself known and in the boys business in the few moments of shock that took over the rest of the crew. He looked about to cry, ‘can polar bears cry?’ Law thought passively as he took in the bear-not quite a bear in bright orange that came up and very quickly, before he could react, he was scooped up in a hug by said not quite a bear with the his face being rubbed against Law's cheek repeatedly only stopped by a pause to smell his hair and face.</p><p> </p><p>“CAPTAIN!!!! You’re a cub again!? How!? Is it really you, oh it has to be!” He kept on with his ramblings and his strong signs of affections no matter how much Law squirmed and kicked. It was like small pebbles at best being kicked up to bounce off the mink’s sides.</p><p> </p><p>“Oi, oi, let me down damn it! Get off of me!” With a whine, the mink quickly but carefully placed Law back on the floor to his surprise.</p><p> </p><p>“Sorry, captain…” the bear muttered. Law, only now taking in the fact the bear was not exactly that as it spoke, looked extremely sad and upset at being yelled at and scolded. Awkwardly, Law placed a palm against the mink’s paw and muttered, “you don’t have to cry about it, just….ask first, ….or whatever.” he trailed off at the end, but it seemed enough to brighten the bear’s spirits as he nodded with a smile.</p><p> </p><p>Ikkaku was the one to draw attention back to the rest of the crew and more importantly, the situation at hand.</p><p> </p><p>“So uhhh...Shachi, wanna tell us what the hell is going on and who the kid is?” Most the crew nodded in agreement, chiming in their own two cents, though the second half the question drew out a smirk from Penguin and a nervous chuckle from Shachi. </p><p> </p><p>“So apparently...Law, turned back into a kid again?” A quick and sharp glare from said kid pushed him to add, “A teenager, actually.”</p><p> </p><p>“Eh?” an awkward noise of bafflement passed Ikkaku’s lips before the whole crew followed suit and fell into dissension.</p><p> </p><p>“EHHHHH?”</p><p> </p><p>Penguin sighed and stood to stand beside Shachi, grabbing some attention himself and quieting down the now rackous room a bit before speaking, “Alright calm down, calm down! I can confirm at least the fact that the ….kid is certainly our captain.” He turned to cock his head at Shachi. “And i'm sure our little Orca here can surely explain how we got here if we all quiet down a bit.”</p><p> </p><p>Shachi smiled at him in thanks before clearing his throat and nodding. “Yes and no, what I know is during my rounds I heard a clatter from Capt'n's room like something had fallen. So naturally i went to check on him and when I entered the room he had turned into a kiddo like you see him now. He and I have pieced together roughly what point in his life he’s gone back to, and he only has memories up to that point. So...he doesn’t really remember any of us. Even us three from Swallow’. In fact, I think he’s about as old as he was a day or two before meeting us actually. </p><p> </p><p>We’re not exactly sure how he got like this though, so I was hoping we could...throw some ideas around? I dunno guys, I'm at a loss from here forward honestly.” </p><p> </p><p>During all the commotion and explanations, Law had made to speak quietly with the mink, the polar bear crouching a bit to be at the others eye level, his soft higher pitched voice easily speaking unnoticed in the clamour of the others, Law’s almost raspy soft spoken tone equally so.</p><p> </p><p>“You’re not just a polar bear are you? What are you, do you have a name?”</p><p>“Ah, my name is Bepo, captain! I’m a mink”, Bepo practically beamed at getting to introduce himself proper to his now small captain. He for one was excited if not initially confused and concerned at the situation. He couldn’t smell the initial sickness however Law had carried with him those first few years nor did he have those splotches of tell tale white, so the panic had receded for Bepo.</p><p> </p><p>“A mink...hm. Are all minks like polar bears?”</p><p> </p><p>“Oh no, minks can come in all species, as long as it’s a mammal. Because of that, we only eat birds, fish, and reptiles. We’re also natural born fighters! We don’t often end up outside of our homeland though, you actually found me when I had gotten stranded-” </p><p> </p><p>Bepo was interrupted as the crew around them settled and attention was soon brought back to Law himself, cutting the conversation for “more important matters.”</p><p> </p><p>Feeling the stares back his way, Law snapped to attention and tried his best not to level a glare or anything similar towards them. They were apparently his crew and to have had this crew for as long as he assumed he had going by Shachi’s provided timeline, he was sure he probably wasn’t like he usually was now with them as an adult.</p><p> </p><p>“So…,” a man with a mask ventured, his voice a bit sing-song though whether that was the awkwardness of the room or his normal voice cadence was up to guesswork, “Captain?”</p><p> </p><p>He gestured awkwardly to Law, who in turn awkwardly shrugged.</p><p> </p><p>“Supposedly... Look, I don’t know any of you. I’ve only learned 2 of your names up to this point and a bit of information on Shachi from trying to work through ...whatever it is going on with me, I guess. So...sorry....and thanks, for following me. Hopefully I can get back to my “real” age soon with your help. If I have it I mean.”</p><p> </p><p>Law awkwardly looked away from the group ‘round the galley, he wasn’t sure if he ever got better with age at addressing and talking to others, but he sure as hell was terrible at it now. </p><p> </p><p>“Don’t be stupid Cap’, of course we’ll help you. What kind of <em> nakama </em> would we be if we just decided, ‘Oops! Our captain’s a little kid again, guess it’s time for desertion because i don't want to pick him up to reach the high shelf.’ That’s dumb, you’re still my captain just now you’re a little smaller and a hell of a lot mouthier.” </p><p> </p><p>Ikkaku walked over to place her hand atop Law’s head and beam down at him in reassurance. Law blinked in surprise, pulling his hat down a bit over his eyes after a moment to hide his embarrassment and moment of awe. This only encouraged others to laugh and some to follow suit, shouting across the room their support or to walk over themselves to place a hand or get in their captains face.</p><p> </p><p>Penguin and Shachi smiled at each other from their place at the room’s front, sidelined to the view of the assault of affection towards their kid captain. They weren’t sure exactly how this would play out and what it meant, but they felt in that moment at least a bit relieved to be able to reassure their captain for once and help him for a change.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you kindly for giving my first multi-chapter fic a read. I'm not going to give an update schedule, but I'll not be abandoning this fic even if it takes me a year to do or if it takes me a month. I welcome you aboard for this adventure, and I look forward to all of your input and feelings on my work.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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